P.O. Box 1000, Enderby, BC V0E 1V0

Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 1000, Enderby, BC V0E 1V0

Telephone: 250-838-6727 | Fax: 250-838-0123

www.enderbychamber.com |

Newsletter – June 17, 2011

Table of Contents

Welcome to Our 2011 Members 1

Business News 1

Business and Community 3

Chamber Action 5

Business and Career Opportunities 7

Political Radar 8

Public Notices 8

Warren’s Safety Tip of the Month 9

Recreation 9

Mark Your Calendar 10

Member Benefits 11

Contact Us 12

Welcome to Our 2011 Members

Welcome to our renewing members: By the Numbers Bookkeeping, The Crystal Man, Fresh Start Internet Solutions, Marketplace IGA, Lorenzo's Cafe, Empire Reproductions, and Tolt Away Icelandic Horse Farm.

Welcome to our newest members: Mimi's Tea House and Parkview Upholstery.

Remember, you can view contact information, including website addresses, for all of our members on our searchable web directory.

Business News

Howard Johnson Inn Patio Now Open

The patios at the Howard Johnson Inn are now open! The restaurant offers one non-smoking and one smoking section so that everyone can enjoy the outdoors. In July and August, the Howard Johnson will have its full menu available on the patios until 11pm seven days a week.

Loving Care on Wheels

Georgina Proulx is starting up a business called Loving Care on Wheels. Loving Care on Wheels has a mission to help people live their lives with more confidence and independence. Care Aide and accompaniment services are offered for people who require assistance. Loving Care on Wheels will accompany clients to medical appointments, shopping, social functions, surgeries, and holidays. If the client is housebound, Loving Care on Wheels can run everyday errands, relieve a care provider, and offer medication reminders.

Georgina Proulx is a Certified and Registered Care Aide with a Class 4 unrestricted driver's license and a clean driver's abstract. Georgina has worked as a Dispensing Optician in the Health Care Aide field as well. She has forty years of driving experience including her regular vehicle, vans, and taxis. References from co-workers, past clients, and employers are available. For more information call 250-838-7874 or email .

Mabel Lake Farms Open 7 Days a Week

Mabel Lake Farms is now open 7 days a week! This year, the cafe will be offering daily lunch specials with all food and desserts made from scratch on premises. Not only is Mabel Lake Farms home to the Okanagan’s finest blueberries, its homemade ice cream is becoming a favourite for everybody who stops by.

The poor condition of Mabel Lake road has inspired the owners of Mabel Lake Farms to create a new dessert called the Mabel Lake Road Pot-hole. The Pot-hole is a chocolate cupcake filled with cream cheese, whipping cream, and, of course, homemade blueberry syrup. It’s all worth the adventure of traveling the second worst road in BC!

Mabel Lake Golf & Country Celebrates Father’s Day

This Father’s Day, join in the fun at Mabel Lake Golf & Country where all fathers golf for half price and the New York steak sandwich is on special for $12 with your choice of side

For the month of June, Monday to Thursday will be 2-for-1 golf. Mention that you read it in the Enderby Chamber newsletter to get the deal!

For more information, visit www.MabelLake.com.

Okanagan Geothermal Offers Ground Source Heating & Cooling

Okanagan Geothermal is a ground source heating and cooling company in Enderby. They provide free estimates, heat loss calculations, state-of-the-art equipment, hassle-free warranty services, precise designs for systems, qualified and certified installers, and all mechanical and geothermal services and parts.

For more information phone 250-838-0809, email , or visit Okanagan Geothermal online at www.okanagangeothermal.net.

RiverTalk Year in Review and Summer Expansion

The first issue of RiverTalk hit the streets on May 1, 2010. It was 12 pages long with a local area distribution of 1,000 copies. One month later, the next issue was released and ever since then it has been published bi-weekly. With every issue, RiverTalk is increasing the print run and page count. Most recently, a website was created at www.enderbyrivertalk.com. Here you can find all archived issues of the paper and links to local community and business websites.

RiverTalk now has regular drop-off spots in Salmon Arm, Ranchero, Sicamous, and Armstrong with increased copies throughout Enderby, Grindrod, Ashton Creek, and Mara. During the summer of 2011, RiverTalk’s print-run will increase to 2,400 copies as two Enderby campgrounds, two Mabel Lake campgrounds, and the three major campgrounds north of Mara also want to rack RiverTalk!

RiverTalk continues to focus on Enderby and area community events and local entertainment. As editor Grant Russell says, "If it’s not in RiverTalk, it never happened!"

Business and Community

Bridges Program

Are you an unemployed woman? Are you looking forward to making a significant change? Are you seeking to be independent? The Bridges Program is a 26 week program designed to help you create positive change in your life through a focus on work experience and optional work placement. Bridges offers a place where women learn to communicate, to be validated, and to be empowered. Bridges helps women make positive change in their lives and in the lives of their children.

Community Futures has been delivering the Bridges Program to the community since 1993. The Bridges Program is offered to women who have experienced abuse or violence and are ready to take their first steps towards financial independence. The Bridges Program focuses on life-management skills, career exploration, and educational planning. Training is presented to the participants in the areas of: personal planning, team building, stress and time management, confidence and self-esteem building, communications, thinking skills, literacy, health, career development, job search skills, assertiveness training, conflict resolution and other such life skills. In addition, skill training is offered in computer fundamentals, First Aid, WHMIS, FoodSafe and customer service, and each woman has the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.

Between 1993 and 2008, 314 women have attended a Bridges Program. A review of the program during different years indicates that an average of approximately 81% of the women have secured employment or returned to school or training within six months after leaving the program.

Course costs are fully funded by the Ministry of Housing and Social Development and there are monies available for both daycare and transportation. For more information or for an application form call 250-545-2215 extension 219.

Enderby District Credit Union Celebrates Youth Day

Enderby and District Credit Union celebrated its second annual Youth Day on Saturday, May 28. The credit union parking lot buzzed with energy as children of all ages attended to play games, see unique demonstrations, eat great food, and have fun! EDCU staff and management, board of directors, and special community guests participated in the event, providing everyone with fun and interesting things to see and do. The pleasant weather kept a steady stream of enthusiastic kids and adults visiting throughout the day, making the annual event a resounding success.

Kids played at the ring toss and fish pond, did crafts, had their faces painted, spent time in the giant bouncy house, and enjoyed balloons. EDCU board of directors barbequed more than 400 hot dogs, while staff and management served up cotton candy and popcorn. Even Cliff, the EDCU mascot, came out to add to the excitement. Games with a large parachute, demonstrations from the local karate club and cadet band, and music with local DJ David Adams proved to be popular with everyone. The Kingfisher Interpretive Centre had kids learning about aquatic insects, the local pool supervisor came by with pool schedules, and the RCMP attended with fun gifts and information. Other participants included the Splatsin Teaching Centre, Investment Planning Counsel (formerly Partners in Planning), Gardom Lake Bible Camp, Enderby and District Community Resource Centre, MacKenzie Camp, and the Enderby and District Chamber of Commerce. “For us, it was a tremendous opportunity to connect with youth and members of our community about our programs,” explained Willow Burton, manager of Recreation Services at Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce. “We could see that the kids, and in fact everyone, loved everything about the event, so we were happy to be there.”

EDCU staff provided information on financial products and services available for young people including Fat Cat and Junior accounts, accounts and loans for graduates, and RESPs. Additional demonstrations on mobile banking and internet banking helped answer questions from those attending. Jean Wells, EDCU’s Member Services manager, together with Member Services assistants Caren Furlong and Tanji Woloshyn, did much of the organization for the day. “We were very pleased with the event and especially with the attendance of more than 400 people,” explained Jean Wells. “While it was a Youth Day, the event attracted a person of all ages, which gives us the message that people like to stay connected with their credit union and their community. We really appreciated the support and enthusiasm shown by all who attended.”

EDCU members up to 18 years old could enter a draw for a Notebook computer (donated in part by Norval Computers) -- the prize went to six-year-old Harmony Killman-Williams.

Employment Centre offers Free Pizza

Do you love pizza? Are you graduating from A.L. Fortune this year? Drop by the Enderby Employment Centre and enter to win a free pizza!

The Enderby Employment Centre offers a casual place to access free services such as daily updated job boards, computers, a fax machine, and a photocopier for your job search needs. The Employment Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and is located on Maud Street behind the Bargain Shop. The Employment Centre is now on Facebook! Check them out on Facebook or at www.noees.com.

The Enderby Employment Centre is funded in whole or part through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement.

MacKenzie Camp Open House

MacKenzie Camp is having its annual Open House on Saturday, June 25 from 11am to 2pm. Come out to Mabel Lake and take a tour of MacKenzie Camp where staff will be on-hand. Kids are welcome to take part in games and try out the climbing wall. A fire will be going for an all-day hot dog roast. The MacKenzie Cruiser will leave frequently from the Rivermouth Marina - catch a ride and see what is happening at the camp!

B.C. 4-H Grows a Field of Clover

The Field of Clover is growing! Generous supporters of B.C. 4-H have planted a beautiful crop of clover in support of the young people of B.C. The B.C. 4-H Foundation’s Field of Clover campaign has grown into a beautiful field of green with over 235 clovers to date!

You may see the clovers growing on the B.C. 4-H website at www.bc4h.bc.ca. Why not plant a clover in your name to help support the legacy of 4-H learning in British Columbia for years to come?

Clovers may be purchased online at www.bc4h.bc.ca. Donate now on the website or through the B.C. 4-H Provincial Office, at #1-904 Maud Street, Box 490, Enderby, BC, V0E 1V0. For more information, contact B.C. 4-H at 250-838-0336.

Chamber Action

Chamber Wins Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Award

The Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce won an award for Community Clean Up at the North Okanagan Regional District's 2011 Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Awards.

The Community Clean Up award celebrates organizations or individuals that assist with cleaning community property such as parks, streams, roadsides, public and private land, and facilities. The Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce won this award for its coordination of the Shuswap River Ambassador Program and BC Rivers Day.

River Ambassador and Rivers Day Coordinator Madison Giesbrecht explained that the role of community volunteers and stewards is essential to the success of both programs. "Thank you to everyone who made the program and event successful. The Enderby Chamber is a proud organizer and sponsor for Rivers Day. It is a day when we join together to clean the river and once again encourage all river users to keep it pristine."

The summer of 2010 was the first year for the River Ambassador program, which will continue in 2011. While the program is relatively new, its impact has already been significant. "The Shuswap River Ambassador Program was a great success last year. The Ambassadors provided information to over 4,100 recreational river users about safety and respect for the Shuswap River," said Giesbrecht.

In addition to the award, the Enderby Chamber will be featured on the Regional District's website and recognized on a permanent plaque at the Regional District office along with the other award recipients.

Funding for the River Ambassador Program came from a variety of sources, including the Enderby Chamber, City of Enderby, Area F of the North Okanagan Regional District, Enderby & District Credit Union, Government of Canada, BC Hydro, and Community Foundation of the North Okanagan.

BC Rivers Day was sponsored by the Enderby Chamber, Enderby & District Credit Union, Enderby & District Lions Club, BMO Bank of Montreal, Baron Insurance, Ashton Creek General Store, BC Hydro, Howard Johnson Inn, IODE, City of Enderby, and Area F of the North Okanagan Regional District.

For further information, contact Madison Giesbrecht, Program Coordinator, at the Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce at 250-838-6727 or email .

Chamber Hosts Consultation with Ministry of Transportation

On June 13, 2011 the Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce hosted a consultation between the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the local business community.

The purpose of the consultation was to garner feedback on potential changes to the project design and schedule for the Highway 97A (George Street) upgrade. Approximately twenty-five members of the local business community were in attendance to learn more about the changes from Ken Aura, a Senior Project Manager for the Southern Interior Region.

Several outcomes emerged from the meeting. There was support for the following:

1. Suspending construction work during July and August.
2. When presented with a choice between a northbound left-turn lane at Highway 97A and Cliff Avenue or a mid-block crosswalk on the highway between Russell Avenue and Cliff Avenue, the crosswalk option was preferred.
3. Ensuring that Enderby's "walkability" is maintained during the work suspension. This includes paving all sidewalk areas along Highway 97A within the construction area as part of laying a temporary layer of asphalt prior to the summer hiatus.
4. Breaking the meridian lines at the intersection of Highway 97A and Granville Avenue, as suggested by the Ministry.

Several other concerns emerged, including: